Ben Gvir and Smotrich Banned from Entering the Netherlands

SadaNews - The Dutch government announced on Monday evening that it has imposed a ban on the entry of Israeli ministers of national security and finance, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, in light of the extremist policies of the Israeli government and due to their incitement to violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and calls for ethnic cleansing in Gaza.

Dutch Foreign Minister, Hank Veldhuyzen, stated that his government has designated the two ministers as "undesirable persons," explaining that their names have been recorded in the Schengen Area system as "unwelcome foreigners".

He clarified that the decision was made due to their "repeated incitement to settler violence against Palestinians, their ongoing support for the expansion of illegal settlements, and their calls for ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip" within the framework of the Israeli genocide campaign against the region.

The Israeli ambassador in The Hague, Mody Ephraim, is expected to be summoned for an official reprimand session at the Dutch Foreign Ministry, where, according to Veldhuyzen, "Israel will once again be urged to change the direction of its policies," emphasizing that "the current situation is intolerable and indefensible," while confirming the "continuation of pressure for a ceasefire in Gaza".

This move indicates the escalation of European efforts to confront ongoing Israeli violations, as the Netherlands particularly stands out through its recommendation to freeze Israel's participation in the European "Horizon" research program, alongside proposing to impose additional trade restrictions on it, should it be confirmed – according to Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof's statement – that Israel is not adhering to the commitments associated with this program.